


Second Chances

by tabbytabbytabby



Category: All American (TV)
Genre: Communication, Dysfunctional Family, F/M, Introspection, Light Angst, Pre-Relationship, Reconciliation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-08-20 10:53:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16554422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: Asher has a secret that he's not ready to tell anyone. At least not until Olivia finds out.





	Second Chances

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on an Asher related spiral that happened after watching [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fP5EoLnzCk&feature=youtu.be) teaser for the new episode. And how he seemed hesitant. I wanted to get this out before the episode aired and possibly through any theories out the window.

Asher looks around the small room, heaving out a sigh as he places yet another box in the corner. Of all the places he ever imaged living, this wasn’t one of them. It’s small, at least small compared to where he lived before, in a 3 story mansion with more rooms than he has fingers. This house though, is nothing. He could probably stand in the front door and see the other side of the house without having to move. He’s never been able to do that. He’s used to long halls and rooms in between. He’d still have that, except of course he father had to go and blow it for them.

His dad got into gambling after his mother left, needing an outlet for his anger or sadness or whatever he was feeling. It’s not like he ever told Asher. All he ever said was that they’d deal with it. Asher had thought maybe they’d at least talk about what happened, but they never have. Not really. His dad had just said that his mom is gone and now it’s just the two of them. For some people, it might have brought them closer. For Asher and his dad, the distance between them just spread further and continues to do so.

Asher has spent the past 6 years trying to bridge the distance, but no matter what he does, nothing seems to work. His father is always at work or business meetings or trips. And when he is home he’s riding Asher so hard that sometimes he fears he might break from the pressure. No one gets that. They look at him and see some rich jock with nothing to worry about. Even Jordan doesn’t know the extent of it. He knows his dad can be a hardass, but Asher has never let him see just how much.

The only person he’s talked to about it is Olivia. He spent a lot of times at the Baker’s house the first few years after his mom left. It was better being there than home alone with whatever housekeeper or nanny his father had hired at the time. He knows it didn’t matter where Asher spent his time, as long as he was someone else’s problem.

He doesn’t talk to Jordan about it. Truthfully, he’s not sure what he’s supposed to feel about any of it. For the first few months after his mom left it was as if he had a storm of emotions swirling inside of him. Anger at his mother for leaving them, at his father for disappearing and acting like it didn’t happen, sad that he no longer has his mother, and then guilty wondering if he was the one that drove her away, or just wasn’t enough to keep her around.

He should have known if there was anyone that could get him to talk about it, it would be Olivia. She was more perceptive than most. It only took her a week to approach Asher. She didn’t immediately ask questions. She’d just sat there with him, the two of them looking out at the pool, just being a silent presence. Asher had never realized just how much he needed that. He’d been bombarded with questions and people trying to talk. He’d just needed someone that wasn’t going to try and push him. Olivia had been that. Which is why it had been so easy for him to start talking. She’d listented, of course. She hadn’t tried to give him advice or tell him things she thought he needed to hear. She’d just sat there, her hand resting on his, offering silent comfort. When he’d broken down, she’d let him cry on her shoulder, and never made him feel bad for it.

They’d been close before that, but that only brings them closer. They talk to each other about everything, which is why it’s so hard when he suddenly loses that. He knows it’s his fault. At least partially. They screwed up. Of course he can’t blame Olivia for wanting to distance herself from that. That doesn’t mean he likes it.

Now, as he stands in his new home, thinking about how his life has once again been turned upside down, the one person he wants to talk to is Olivia. He knows he can’t do that though. She hasn’t exactly been warm to him since getting out of rehab, and has pulled away from any attempts he’s made at rebuilding their friendship.

Asher is confused when he hears a knock on the front door. No one knows where he lives so he’s not expecting any visitors. He supposes it could be a neighbor but considering the hour he’s not counting on it being a social call. His confusion grows when he opens the door to see a familiar figure standing there.

“Olivia?”

She has a her hands in the pockets of her packet and she looks just as surprised as he is, despite her being the one to knock. “Hey.”

“What are you doing here?” He asks her, his hand gripping the doorframe tightly.

She pulls her hand out of her pocket and holds up his wallet, “You left this at our place. Jordan asked me to get it to you since I was going out anyway. I went by your house, or what I assumed was your house. But no one was there. So I checked your license and saw this address.”

Asher nods and takes the wallet when she hands it over. He can’t meet her eyes. “Thanks.”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” she asks him. Her tone isn’t accusing, more curious than anything.

“I…” He’s not sure what he’s supposed to say. Normally, with them he’d go with the truth. But their relationship has been so strained lately he’s not sure if he’s allowed to. “It’s not like it matters. Or you care anymore. So you can just…”

Olivia puts a hand on the door when Asher tries to close it. When he looks up, it’s to find her watching him, her face serious. “Of course I care, Ash. That’s the problem. But that’s not important right now. What’s important is what’s going on with you and why you haven’t told anyone about it.”

He sighs and steps back from the door to let her in, “You might as well come in.” She moves slowly into the house, her eyes moving around the room. He can’t tell what she’s thinking right now, and it makes him squirm uncomfortably. “Want to sit?”

She nods and follows him into the living room, taking a seat on the couch when he clears a spot for her, “How long have you lived here?”

“A week,” Asher says. “We just got the rest of the stuff moved in today. It… we had to figure out what to keep and what to get rid of since there isn’t exactly a lot of space here.”

“What happened?”

“You know how my dad got into gambling after my mom died?” She nods and he takes a deep breath, leaning back again the couch with his eyes on the ceiling. “Well it’s been getting worse. And he got into a bit of trouble. The idiot put the house up on a bet, thinking he had it made I guess. And he didn’t. He lost. Well I guess _we_ lost. He tried to fight it in court, but since he’d drunkening signed over the deed it didn’t hold. The judge wasn’t exactly sympathetic to him. I think he wanted him to learn a lesson. Now here we are.”

“I’m sorry, Ash.” Olivia says. She surprises him by putting a hand on his knee. It’s the most contact they’ve had since that night. This is different though. It’s her actually reaching out and he’s not going to ruin that by getting lost in his head. “Is there anything I can do?”

“You’re already doing enough just by being here,” he tells here. “I know you probably don’t want to be, and I’m not expecting us to just be friends again. But this is… I’ve missed you. We were so close before and I hate that we lost that.”

She looks at him for a long moment, her eyes scanning his face. Asher stays still, trying to keep himself open and not close off. He needs her to see how real he’s being right now. Finally, she leans back on the couch and throws her legs over his lap, and grins. “I’m assuming the TV works?”

Asher rolls his eyes, grabbing the remote off the table. “Of course the TV works. Dad hasn’t ruined us that much yet. If we were, you know I’d be at your place even more. I can’t miss Criminal Minds.”

Olivia laughs, “Oh I know. You’d have Spencer withdrawals.” Her face softens a bit as she gently nudges his stomach with her foot. “But you know our door is always open, no matter what.”

It’s not much, but it’s a start. It’s a chance to start rebuilding whatever is broken between them, and he’s going to take it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/Comments make my day. ♥  
> [My tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


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